Staying Grounded

Staying Grounded

Westway Studio has been built on four main principles:

cherish family

do good

leave a legacy based on authenticity

pioneer new trails

It has always been important to me to embrace my down-to-earth personality and values: work hard for what you want, love your family (fuzzy companions included, of course), be honest, create memories of love and togetherness, give back to make a positive difference, speak up for equality, and by all means, have a little grit and stand up for what you believe in.

It’d be great if we stayed balanced all the time but life happens to us all; we get busy, we lose touch, and the things that aren’t really important suddenly become the leading factors in our lives. It’s vital to take a break and get grounded.

But how?

Escape to 10,000 feet in Breckenridge, Colorado

For me, there’s no better way to stabilize my pillars than by getting out in nature. Travel. Breathe. Break away from the mundane. Spend quality time with family. As John Muir once said, “the mountains are calling and I must go.” Atop them, I am free.

Our favorite adventures have included Jackson Hole, Yellowstone, and Bozeman(four times!);Sequoia and Kings Canyon(twice!); Yosemite (twice!); and Breckenridge (just once but hopefully more soon!). Here, we’re able to hike in the snow, watch wildlife, turn off our phones, and take life slower… except, of course, that one time we got an adrenaline rush during a personal encounter with one of Yellowstone’s alpha wolves!

One of the very best days of my entire life: meeting the Lamar Canyon Pack’s alpha female, 926F, in Yellowstone National Park

We can’t escape on big adventures all the time, though, and we are very, very lucky to have our own slice of Heaven right here in San Diego — Skye Valley Ranch. Nestled inside the Cleveland National Forest, Skye Valley is 800+ acres of untouched freedom. I love to sit under a favorite oak tree and get lost in a novel; hike the unending trails; go spotting for deer, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and all the other critters who call SVR home; lie in the back of the pickup and watch the stars twinkle; fall asleep to the sound of the bullfrogs; and wake to the first chirping birds as the sun kisses over the mountainside. (You can nab your very own Skye Valley adventure!)

The sun sets on Skye Valley Ranch in San Diego, CA

So, try not to forget there’s more to life than work and busyness. Go on an adventure. Spend time with your family. Find your joy!